At Home with Christie – How Easily Can You Turn On Your Sink?

My hands were so dirty. That really messy kind of dirty where if I even think of touching a doorknob or a faucet or really anything at all, I know I will have to hose those items down. Think making meatloaf. Or finger painting. GOOK. You’ve been there, right?

Now imagine your sink. Is it like my old one that had two low, narrow knobs that had to be gripped with at least two of those messy fingers on each knob and rotated to be turned on? Or is it like mine now, where it’s just one broad handle that controls the flow and the temperature? Because now? I can get that bad boy on with my elbow. This is why I love Universal Design.

Universal Design is my personal idea of the perfect blend of form and function. It’s the idea that items in the house should be accessible and easily used by the widest variety of people. Little kids? Check. Someone with arthritis? Check. Broke a finger? Missing a limb? Hands full of laundry? Check-check-check. It’s not JUST for someone with a physical need, it’s a smart choice for everyday living and the clumsy tasks that come along with our messy or busy lives. It looks good, and it works better.

So when you’re thinking of making a change, even if it’s a small one, think Universal Design. Think one broad handle on a faucet that you can hit with your elbow. Think light switches that you can just slap to switch on. Think lever door handles instead of knobs. Small changes make a huge difference.

Do you have some UD changes that you made that aren’t listed? Let me know what you did and how it changed your life. Until then, I have to go wash my hands…

On any given day I’m a full time real estate agent, momma and chief wrangler of two kids and two dogs, married to a guy who essentially hunts and fishes for a living, and happy residing on the outskirts of Erie, PA. Sometimes I fool myself into thinking I have superpowers, except my cape is usually in the laundry…I hope. It’s all in a day’s work.